SOUTH BEND — Now what?
That was one thought in spring that crossed the mind of new Notre Dame basketball staff member Isaiah Thompson.
Thompson spent the previous two years as a graduate assistant at Purdue, where he played three seasons before two at Florida Gulf Coast. The graduate assistant program is a two-year job, and Thompson was part of a Purdue team that went a combined 54-21 overall and 26-14 in the Big Ten with a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
With his coaching career at a crossroads, Thompson wondered where the game might take him. He never planned on that next move being in his native Indiana and to Notre Dame after Irish head coach Micah Shrewberry extended an offer that Thompson couldn’t refuse.
A restructuring of the Irish administrative side in the offseason opened an added coaching position. Shrewsberry hired Thomspon as the program’s player development and recruiting coordinator.
“I knew I needed to find another opportunity, and this came about,” Thompson said in July. “It was a perfect opportunity for me being familiar with Coach Shrewberry and everything he’s done for me.”
During Thompson’s freshman and sophomore seasons at Purdue, Shrewsberry was an assistant coach on Matt Painter’s staff. He coached Thompson. He knew Thompson, who’s not that far removed age wise (he turned 26 in June) from some of the players on this Irish roster.
Thompson was an easy choice, and a fit, in South Bend.
“He’s been around basketball,” Shrewsberry said. “He’s got a natural sense to him of point-guard play. He’s going to be great for our guards.”
Shrewsberry as an assistant coach compared to Shrewsberry as a head coach. Different? Similar? Big change? No change?
“It’s a little different,” Thompson said. “As an assistant coach, he ran the offense for us. His offensive mind is great. I kind of know his style.”
Graduate assistants are the grunts of college game. They have their hands in just about everything — scouting the opposition, breaking down game and practice film, working with players on an individual level, even administration.
Thompson will do much of that at Notre Dame. He’ll also work closely with associate head coach Mike Farrelly to map out a recruiting plan moving forward.
Tasked with tutoring the Irish guards means Thompson will spend a third straight season working with a familiar name, albeit with a different face. The previous two years, he spent a lot of time on the practice court with former two-time All-American guard Braden Smith.
This summer, Thompson worked with former Gonzaga point guard Braeden Smith, expected to be the starter for the Irish this winter.
“He’s super smart,” Thompson said of Smith. “You can tell he’s played at a high level. He’s a really good leader. He’s going to be a key this year. He knows that. He’s ready for the challenge.”
As is Thompson. This is a challenging year for Shrewsberry, a challenging year for his staff, a challenging year for the entire program. Notre Dame has staggered through four straight losing seasons, the last three under Shrewsberry, and must show something that points to a positive direction.
One of three new members on the Irish staff, Thomspon believes in Shrewsberry today in South Bend as much as he did for all those yesterdays in West Lafayette.
He’s laid that standard (and) guys are bought into it,” Thompson said. “The staff’s bought into it. It might be a struggle in November, but you want to play your best ball in March.”
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: How a former Purdue player wound up on the Notre Dame basketball staff
Reporting by Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
